Modular electrical signal supply assemblies and vehicles including the same

Abstract

A modular electrical signal supply assembly includes at least one power/data strip (PDS) configured to provide an electrical signal to an electrical device and at least one mounting clip configured to couple each PDS to a sub-floor surface structure. A vehicle includes an interior cabin with an electrical signal distribution system that includes at least one modular electrical signal supply assembly and at least one electrical devices. Each modular electrical signal supply assembly includes a PDS and a mounting clip. Each PDS is configured to provide an electrical signal to an electrical device and is electrically coupled to at least one other PDS.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular electrical signal supply assembly for an interior cabin of a vehicle, the modular electrical signal supply assembly comprising:
 at least one power/data strip (PDS) configured to provide an electrical signal to at least one electrical device positioned within the interior cabin; and 
 at least one mounting clip configured to couple each PDS to a sub-floor surface structure; 
 wherein the at least one mounting clip is configured to selectively engage the sub-floor surface structure at a location along a length of the sub-floor surface structure; and wherein the at least one mounting clip is configured to maintain the PDS below a floor panel positioned in the interior cabin. 
 
     
     
       2. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mounting clip includes a body portion configured to engage the sub-floor surface structure and a flange portion configured to engage the PDS. 
     
     
       3. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one mounting clip is a monolithic mounting clip, and wherein the body portion and the flange portion correspond to respective regions of the monolithic mounting clip. 
     
     
       4. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 2 , wherein body portion and the flange portion are distinct components that are operatively coupled to one another to form the the at least one mounting clip. 
     
     
       5. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sub-floor surface structure comprises a plurality of sub-floor surface structure mounting holes positioned along the length of the sub-floor surface structure, and wherein each mounting clip is configured to engage at least one corresponding sub-floor surface structure mounting hole of the plurality of sub-floor surface structure mounting holes to couple the at least one mounting clip to the sub-floor surface structure. 
     
     
       6. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the modular electrical signal supply assembly comprises at least one outlet configured to electrically couple the PDS to the electrical device. 
     
     
       7. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the outlet comprises an outlet cord extending from the PDS. 
     
     
       8. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet further comprises an outlet connector interface that is statically fixed to the PDS, and wherein the outlet cord is configured to be selectively electrically coupled to the PDS via the outlet connector interface. 
     
     
       9. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the outlet connector interface is a first outlet connector interface, and wherein the outlet further comprises a second outlet connector interface positioned on the outlet cord distal the first outlet connector interface. 
     
     
       10. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one mounting clip comprises a cord channel configured to at least partially circumferentially enclose the outlet cord. 
     
     
       11. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one outlet comprises a plurality of outlets distributed along the PDS. 
     
     
       12. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the outlets of the plurality of outlets are separated by an outlet spacing that is configured to correspond to a seat pitch of a plurality of passenger seats. 
     
     
       13. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one mounting clip is configured to be received within a mounting clip cutout defined by the floor panel. 
     
     
       14. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one mounting clip comprises a cord channel configured to partially circumferentially enclose an outlet cord that extends from the PDS, wherein the at least one mounting clip further comprises a channel cover configured to be selectively installed on the cord channel to fully circumferentially enclose the outlet cord, and wherein the channel cover is configured such that, when the channel cover is selectively installed on the cord channel and when the channel cover is received in the mounting clip cutout, the channel cover is at least substantially flush with an adjacent region of the floor panel. 
     
     
       15. The modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical signal comprises at least one of an electrical power signal, a data signal, and an electrical ground, and wherein the PDS comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) that comprises at least one of a power layer configured to transmit the electrical power signal, a data layer configured to transmit the data signal, and a ground layer configured to provide the electrical ground. 
     
     
       16. An electrical signal distribution system, comprising:
 at least one modular electrical signal supply assembly of  claim 1 ; and 
 at least one electrical device electrically coupled to the PDS. 
 
     
     
       17. The electrical signal distribution system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one modular electrical signal supply assembly comprises a plurality of PDSs, and wherein the PDSs of the plurality of PDSs are electrically coupled to one another to form a signal supply chain configured to transmit the electrical signal between the PDSs. 
     
     
       18. The electrical signal distribution system of  claim 17 , wherein each PDS of the plurality of PDSs includes a jumper terminal, and wherein the electrical signal distribution system includes at least one jumper configured to be selectively electrically coupled to the jumper terminals of each of at least two PDSs to at least partially form the signal supply chain. 
     
     
       19. A vehicle, comprising:
 an interior cabin with at least one sub-floor surface structure; and 
 an electrical signal distribution system positioned within the interior cabin; 
 wherein the electrical signal distribution system comprises:
 at least one modular electrical signal supply assembly; and 
 at least one electrical device; 
 
 wherein each modular electrical signal supply assembly comprises:
 at least one power/data strip (PDS); and 
 at least one mounting clip configured to couple each PDS to a corresponding sub-floor surface structure of the at least one sub-floor surface structure; 
 wherein each PDS is configured to provide an electrical signal to at least one of the electrical devices; and 
 wherein each PDS is selectively electrically coupled to at least one of:
 an electrical signal source configured to provide the electrical signal to at least one PDS; and 
 at least one other PDS by a jumper configured to transmit the electrical signal. 
 
 
 
     
     
       20. The vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the interior cabin is configured such that each PDS is at least substantially concealed from view when installed within the interior cabin.